DOT to Release New Survey Results of Safety Belt Use Among Truck Drivers on December 9th in Atlanta; Transportation Secretary to Launch National Partnership to Combat Low Usage

U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta will release the results of a first-ever survey of safety belt use among truck drivers and launch a national public-private partnership to increase safety belt use among the nation's more than 11 million commercial drivers. The national announcement will be made at a Roadway Express trucking facility in Atlanta at 11 a.m. Tuesday, December 9th. The event will include interview opportunities with truck drivers, truck tours and one-on-one interviews with Secretary Mineta.

The new partnership will commit to a national campaign to increase safety belt usage among the nation's commercial drivers. In addition to Secretary Mineta, the leadership of the trucking community will be available to speak about the economic impact of current safety belt usage levels and the need for this new partnership.

  WHO:       U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta
             Administrator Annette M. Sandberg, Federal Motor Carrier Safety
              Administration
             President and CEO, Governor Bill Graves, American Trucking
              Associations
             President James Johnston, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers
              Association
             President and CEO Timothy P. Lynch, Motor Freight Carriers
              Association
             America's Road Team Truck Drivers

  WHAT:     National launch of partnership to combat low safety belt usage
             among commercial drivers.  One-on-one interview opportunities
             with Secretary Mineta, leaders of the trucking community, truck
             drivers.  B-roll opportunities.

  WHEN:      11 a.m. Tuesday, December 9, 2003

  WHERE:    Roadway Express Facility, 2701 Moreland Avenue SE (4.5 miles
             south of I-20).

PRNewswire -- Dec. 8